Synchronized rotary dump



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E. RAMSAY SYNCHRONIZED ROTARY DUMP Filed Dec. 15, 1923 5 sheets-sheet 2 .FII lllllIl/WIIJII sept. 29,1925. 1,555,077

E. RAMSAY SYNCHRONIZED ROTARY DUMP Filed Dec. 15, 1925 5 sheets-sheet :s

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1,555,077 E. RAMSAY SYNCHRONI ZFD ROTARY DUMP Filed Dec. 15, 192.3 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept, 29; 1925. 1,555,077'

E. RAMSAY SYNGHRONIZED ROTARY DUMP Filed Dec; l5, l925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED fsrarss lIJEtSI'CIhTE RAMSAY, yOF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

SYNCHRONIZED vvROTARY `IDU-M1?.

Application .filed December 15, 1923. Serial No.'680,935.

To all whom it ymay concern.'

Be it known that l, Ensnmn 'Ii-Aimar, a citizen ot the United States oi America, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State oi Alabama, have invented certain new and vusetul Improvements in Synchronized Rotary Dumps, of which the following -is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in dumps which is characterized Lby the tact that the dumps movements .are synchronized or `co-.ordinated with the drive for mechanism that handles or Itreats the dumped .material, such as va feeder and screen, so that the dumping mechanism can take charge of a train of coupled or uncoupled cars and automatically dump them .singly kor in groups `oft two or more `at kproper vtime intervals so that the material dumped is `not delivered to the feeding and screening mechanism at a rate faster than they `can properly handle it. The entire dumping, feeding and, if desired, screening mechanism, being automatically controlled and synchronized, enables the 4operation off the entire mechanism to be timed so as to Aproduce the best operating results throughout.

My invention also comprises the provision of novel and effective means for con `trolling the automatic operation of `the dump by a latch means releasable responsive to the joint -action of a loaded car in .or approaching the dump, either or both, and a trip operated by the synchronizing mechanism which is co--ordinated with the drive for the feeder or screen.

My invention also comprises the provision of a supplemental latch manually controlableand normally held inoperative by `means ot which `the dumping can be stopped at any time.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a scale associated with 'he dump in accordance with Letters Patent No. 852,643, issued to T. H. Aldrich, Jr., and assigned to me, there being provided, subject to the control of the dump, two sets of stop dogs in the approach track, one adapted to arrest a car =on the scale and the other to arrest a car in position to pass onto the scale after the next operation of the dump. By this arrangement my `automatic control of the dumping takes care of the `weighing also ot the loaded cars7 the weight being either mechanically recorded or entered by the scale or dump control man.

My invention also comprises novel means automatically controllable by the dump for releasing the car stops which control the movement ot cars to and through the dump. My invention contemplates the delivery of the cars as tast as they are received from `the mine to a track preferably inclined so as to feed them by gravity to the dump, and when the mechanism has automatically dumped all but the last two Vloaded cars it will stop ready to resume dumping when any additional cars reach the track trip plate, thus leaving the mechanism always ready for automatic operation without requiring any resetting of the automatic mechanism.

My invention further comprises the novel details otconstruction and arrangements ot' parts, which in their preferred embodiments only are illustrated in :the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which y Fig. 1 .is an yend elevation oi' a rotary dump showing the feeder and screen with which its dumping Amovements are .synchronized. I

Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 a side elevation ot ythe dump andstrack mechanism, omittino` the synchronizing mechanism and most of the tipple structure.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the dump control latches separated to better illustrate the individual control tor operating each latch.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the assembled latches; 'and l Fig. 6 is a side view ot the latches .showing a part of the dump.

Fig. 7 is a view of the trackstop dogs and their operating shafts.

Fig. 8 is a similar view ot the dump stop dogs and'their operating mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of a modi'hed form of stop.

Fig. l() is an enlarged view in plan broken away to show the operating mechanism for the stop dogs on both the dumpand approach track.

Fig. ll is a diagrammatic layout ofthe synchronizing drive for twin dumps and the feede1 and screen mechanism for yhandling them.

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Fig. 12 is a detail vien7 illustrating lhe manner of operation by a trip on the dump oit the rocker shaft Which opens the track dogs.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

According to the embodiment of my in vention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I show in Fig. 1 a tipple structure comprising uprights 1 and lower cross beams 2 and upper cross beams 3, all ot' any suitable material and assembled in accordance with any present practice. The beams 2 support suitable bearings, not shown, for the trunnion rollers 1- upon Which the riding rings 5 of the dump rest and by which they are supported free for rotation about the long axis of the dump. The dump is of any suitable structure, that shown comprising the riding rings 5 formed of bent rails having Atheir inturned bases cross connected by longitudinal plates 6 on each side and 7 at the bottom, the plate 7 carrying upwardly divergent braces 8 which are riveted to the brackets 5) which support the holddo\vn bars 10 that overhang the car axles 11, or if desired the Wheels 16. The brackets 9 also support the cross bars 12 upon which the track rail sections 13 are `mounted in the dump. The dump is also preferably counterweighted by one or more elements 111 which as shown are in the form of hollow members or pipes adapted to receive any suitable Weight with which to unbalance the dumping structure in the direction of its rotation to dump. The dumping structure as thus far defined is that considered preferable for the purposes of my invention, but obviously it may be widely varied as to type and design according to conditions of use 0r to methods of operation required at each installation.

The cars 15 which are to be dumped conventionally illustrated and are mounted on Wheels 16 on the axles 11. My invention, though capable of dumping more than one car at a time, is shoivn adapted to dump a single car and the dumping structure being short is provided with only a single stop lug 17 attached to one of the dump rings 5 in position to be engaged by a series ot latches 13, 19, 2O and 21, all mounted on a common shaft 22 in bearings 23 on uprights 241' of the tipple superstructure. These latches all have similar detents set in the same plane and all adapted to engage the same lug 17 and hold the dump against movement in the direction of the arrow1 (Fig. 1), which is its direction of rotation as it moves to dump.

The latch 13 has an arm projecting bclow its pivotal bearing` and connected by a cross rod 2G to a crank 27 t'ast on a shaft 23 extending longitudinally past the dump and up along the approach tracks 29 to the point where it is desired to place the track trip plate 30. As shown in Fig. 2, this shaft 28 extends past the scale tracks 3l, passing freely theretln'ough so as not to interfere with the weighing operation and to a point so spaced from the scale track that a car brought to rest by the dogs 32 on the plate 30 will stand about the same distance from a car brought to rest by the dogs 33 on. the scale as the said latter car is from a car brought to rest by the dogs 34; within the dump. The eX- act spacing of the cars is not essential but it is desirable that they should be substantially eCpii-distant so that they will all more Within approximately the same time whether coupled or uncoupled from each position to the next succeeding position in the dumping operation. The car trip 30 is in the form of a plate fast on the shaft 28 and adapted t0 be depressed by the flanges ot the Wheels of a loaded car and when so depressed it acts to release the trip 18 from engagement with the dump lug 17. The latch 19 is connected by a rod 35 to a rocker arm 36 pivotally mounted on a bearing bracket 37 attached to the superstructiue and adapted at its upper end to be engaged and operated by a cam 33 fast on a rotatable disk 39 driven by the synchronizing mechanism which will be later described. The latch 2O is connected by a rod 4() with the lower end or' the bar 41, also pivoted to the bracket or support 37, and at its upper end connected to a chain or pull cord 42 leading to any suitable point on the tipple from whence it can be manually controlled. The latch 21 is provided with a depending arm 413 having a laterally out-turned end which carries a right angled latch bar 14 adapted to be engaged and pulled by a bar i115 having a shoulder 11G which engages over the out-turned end ot' the latch bar #lx-l. The bar ll5 is pivotally connected to a crank 117 Alast on a rocker shaft 4,8 journaled in the dump and carrying 'liast thereon a dump trip plate al) which is normally held in raised or operating position by a coil spring 50. Vhe/n a car is in the dump, wheel flanges thereof depress the trip 19 and througlr the connections described disengage the latch 21 Yfrom the dump lug 17. I provide springs 15%, 1Q, 20 and 2l 'for the latches 18, 1S), 2() and 21, respectavely, adapted to press the latches towards lug engaging or operating position. The chain L12 is :.Lttacht-:d` to 'some suitable anchor and adapted to pull the latch 2() out of lug engaging or operation position. From this it fellows that when the hand controlled latch 2O is not released to assume operating position it stands in inoperative position and the latches 1S. 19 and 2l alone control the release o'tl the dump to operate. The several springs are mounted on.

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mman?? car on the approach track assumes position against the dogs 32 to depress the track trip 8() the latch 18 is disengaged. The dump unbalanced is then free to rotate except for the latch 19 and as soon as this is disengaged by the action of the synchronizing mechanism the Idump is free to rotate. The dump is adapted to swing part ivay over, being unbalanced to one side by the Weights and, if desired, by the car being off center as shown andhaving its center of gravity above the dump center. After the load is emptied from the car its vdump becomes unbalanced by the Weights to Yswing back and its center of gravity again comes above its axis of rotation and thus the dump Will swing back in a reverse direction to its initial position. rllhe dump can be brought to rest in this position by any suitable stop 51 and its lug Will engage the bevelled faces of the latches and move past them sufhciently for the latches to snap into operating position above it. A similar stop 51a may be 'mounted on the superstructure in position to stop the dump after it dumps, and both stops may carry spring means to absorb the stopping shock and accelerate the starting movement therefrom.

rlhe synchronizing mechanism controlling the cam disk '39 will be best understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 11. The cam' disk is fast on a shaft 52 mounted in suitable bearings on the superstructure and carrying a sprocket Wheel 53 driven by a chain 54 from a sprocket on a countershaft 56. Where only a single dump is employed this countershaft Will carry only one sprocket 55, but Where the mechanism is adapted to control a pair of dumps, as shown in Fig. l1, a second sprocket 55 will also bemounted on the shaft 56 and Will, through a chain 57 and sprocket 58, drive a cam disk shaft 52a, corresponding to52, carrying a disk 39a corresponding to 39 and controlling the second dump. The countershaft 56 has a sprocket 59 thereon driven by a. sprocket chain 60 from a sprocket 61 on the shaft 62, which is driven by a belt 63 and variable speed pulleys Gil and 65 from a shaft 66 which derives its power from a belt 6T driv-.

ing a pulley 68 on the shaft 66. A pulley 69 on the shaft 62 is adapted by means of a twisted belt 70 to drive a pulley 71 on a feeder drive shaft 7 2. The shaft 72 carries a sprocket 7 5 on the screen drive shaft y76. These shafts 72 and T 6 are suitably mounted, the bearings not being shown, and shaft 72 has fast thereon eccentrics 77 which by means of eccentric rods T8 Will give a vbal- `anced drive to the reciprocating plate feeder 79. This feeder receives the material from a hopper 89, into which it is discharged from the dump, and the feeder plates -as they are r'eciprocated Will `move the feed openings therein back and forth under the hopper and serve to feed the material to a reci-pror eating screen 81 also driven by leccentric rods 82 from eccentrics 83 on the shaft T 6. rllhe feeder and screening mechanism are preferably constructed and driven as described in my pending application, Serial No. 586,878,

filed Sept. 5th, 1922.

From the foregoing it follows that b'oth the vreciprocating feeder and screen are driven from "the same mechanism which rotates the cam disk 89 and that this cam disk Will act `periodically to release its latch 19 once for any desired predetermined number of reciprocations for the feeder and screen. Theoretically the cam `disks are moved slowly so that it will require a greater time interval for them to complete a revolution than is required for the dump 'to operate and return to initial position and for the empty car to pass off vthe dump and a loaded car to assume position 'on the dump. Hence, must the car awaitV the trip of the cam controlled latch 19 before it can operate and 'by this means it is synchronized with the operation of the feeder and screen so that all of the agencies ofthe dump are co-ordinated -and Yare capable of acting With highest eiiciency, one not overloading the other.

I have already referred to "three sets of stop dogs 32, 33 and 34C. These 'dogs may be of any suitable construction, that shown comprising a vertical notched stop plate having a hub portion 8l mounted torock on suitable journals or axes on the approach track and in the dump, as the case ymay be, each dog having an offset depending crank arm 85 with holes 86 and 87 therein. These 'dogs are arranged in opposite pairs 'on the outer side of the track rails and are non mally `pressed into operating or car stopping` position, as vshown in Fig. 19, by the action of a compression spring 88 which surrounds a rod 89 that has an yangled end mounted in the hole 86 `of one dog of a pair and has its other end telescoped `into a pipe 90 Which vcarries an angled rod 91 that engages in the hole 86 in the opposite dog. Each compression spring bears aga-inst a seat 92 fast on its rod 89 and against a Washer 93 at the inner end of its pipe 90 'and thus vnormally and yieldingly presses its respective dogs into car stopping position in which they overhang the track. The dogs are adapted to beopened up by chains 94 connected to the lower hole 87 in each `dog arm and at their other ends connected to the opposite ends of va bai` 95 which Vat its center -is 'clamped to a rocker shaft. The `bars 95 controlling the dogs 32 and 33 are fast on the rocker shaft 96 which extends along the approach track and has fast on its end adjacent to the receiving end oit the dump a crank member 07 preterably in the term of a casting recessed to receive in its tree end a coil spring 98 which presses against a seat tast on a stop pin 100 and tends to press this pin into position to be engaged by a trip plate 101 mounted tast on the receiving end ot the dump. The pin is connected by an operating rod or bar 102, having an adjustable turn buckle 103 therein, to one end oit a bell crank lever 101 pivoted in the approach track between the dogs 32 and 33 and disposed with its Ltree end adjacent to one oi the track rails and adapted to be moved by a car, just a'iter it has passed the dogs 32, and caused to pull out the latch pin 100 against the action of its spring. Before the car that last operated the trip 1041 has reached the dogs B3, the pin 100 has been released, freeing the crank member 97 from the trip plate 101 and releasingl the springs 88 to reset the dogs 32 and 36. As soon as the dump moves trom initial position to dump the spring 96 projects the latch pin into the path ot' the dump trip plate 101. The pin stands in engagement with the outer :tace ol this plate 101 aitter being retracted by crank 104 until the dump starts its dumping rotation. Then the plate 101 moves 'from in tront oit the pin 100 the latter is tree to project still t'urther towards the dump so that as the dump swings back to initial position the trip plate 101 will strike the pin and rock the crank element 97 from dotted to full line position, F ig. 12. rlhis rocks the shaft 96, as shown in Fig. 7, and pulls the chains 94 so as to open out 'the dogs against the tension ot the springs 63. The dogs will remain in open position for the loaded car to pass until the crank 104 is actuated, pulling the pin 100 inwardly out oil: engagement with the edge oit the stop plate 101 and allowing the springs SS to snap the dogs 32 and 33 inwardly and reset the crank element 97 in approximately upright position, as shown in Fig. 10, the pin remaining still in engagen'rent with the end tace ot the trip plate 101 until the dump next moves to dump, whereupon this plate moves past the pin and the lat-ter snaps again into its path as it returns so that the crank element 97 will be again rocked over and the dogs again opened at'ter the next dumping operation.

lVith reference to the dogs 34- in the dump, these are operated by chains 9-1 connected to a bar 95 :tast on a rocker shaft 105, which element extends approximately to the discharge end ot the dump and there has tast on it a segmental crank plate 106 which is adapted to engage a spring-pressed trip pin 107 reciprocable axially in spaced bearings S mounted fast in the receiving track beyond the dump. A coil spring 109 surrounds the pin between the bearings and presses it towards the dump into its operating posi.- tion. The spring at its end towards the dump engages a forked plate 110 which is l'ast on a rocker shalt 111 carrying a crank 112 having a trip arm 113 adapted to be engaged and rocked by the wheels ot an empty car as it passes ott the dump and onto the cempty track. rlhis empty7 car thus retracts the pin 107 from position in front o1 the plate 106 and releases this plate, responsive to the tension ot the dump spring 88, to move as shown in Fig. 8, and permit the dogs fi/flf to move inwardly to closed position. ln thus rocking the segmental plate does not move entirely past the pin but holds it until a inovement et the dump will swing .it past the pin, thereby releasing the latter to snap into full operating position in the path ot the returning plate 106. It thus follows that the movement of the dump as it swings back to initial position after a dinnping operation will act to open all ot the dogs and all will be held open until the movement ot cars past the dogs 32 and 3/1 has tripped the pins 100 and 107, and when this occurs the dogs snap back into car stopping position and remain in that position until the completion of the next dumping operation.

V1n operation, referring to `Fig. 2, and as suming loaded car A in the dump, loaded car B on the scale, and loaded car C in engagement with the track dogs 32, the dump is ready to commence automatic action, provided the hand controlled latch is open- Normally this is held open and the dumping operation proceeds as follows. rl`he dump when released by the synchronizing mechanism swings automatically by gravity to dump car A, and as it swings back the trip plate 101 thereon moves the track rocker shaitt 96, and the shaft 1105 on the dump isi rocked by track pin 10T engaging the inember 106. `Polli fhat'ts are thus rocked` as shown in ltigs'. 7 and 8, and all stop dogs will be opened. illhcrellpon the damper car A. is released to roll out olf the dump, the loaded car l released to roll .into the dump, loaded car C is released to roll into position on the scale and the next loaded car approaches the dogs B2 which have been released to reset as soon as car C had tripped the latch 10ft and the empty car A. had tripped the latch 107. The loaded car B and the loaded car following car C' will be stopped by the dogs, and when the latter car assumes position on trip plates and 419 it will move them to release all ol the latches except the synchronizing latch 19 and this releases the dump to operate at'ter the predetermined time interval has elapsed, its controlling cam 38 trimiiing the latch 19, whereupon the dump commences a new opll if) eration, and the same cycle repeats itself as long` as there are cars to depress the trip plate 30. At all times the dump is only released tor operation at the timed intervals controlled by the cam 38. lhen there are no longer cars to depress the trip plate SO the automatic dumping operation ceases and the remaining' cars in the dump and scale can only be dumped it desired by the manual release of the latch 1S. By holding the hand latch in operating' position and by pressing,l the dogs 32 and 33 out of car stopping; position, loaded cars can be again brought into position in iront et each pair ot dogs 3B and 34 and the automatic operation can be resumed.. Normally two loaded Cars will be left, one in the dump and one on the scale, and the Whole apparatus Will resume automatic dumping,` as soon as any additional cars ied to the approach track and reach the trip plate 30, after which the operation will continue as long' as there is a car to depress the trip plate 3G.

lt it be desired to pull the empty cars back through the dump, I use the type ot dogg' shown in Fig. 9, Where the stop plate llel is elongated and provided with an outturned end ll towards the dump, which end will be engaged by the car vvheels so that the latter can Wedge the dogs apart and nass them. l have shoivn the track scales, but it' other means ot' Weighing' the cars is desired, such may be used and the track scale and its dogs 33 can then be omitted.

Klhoug'h l have described with great particularity `the details of the embodiment of the invention herein shown, it is not to be construed that I am limited thereto, vas changes in arrangement and substitution ot equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having' thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a dumping; apparatus, in combination, a dump, agencies automatically controlled by the dump to feed loaded cars to and empty cars from the dump, a hopper to receive the material dumped` a feeder to discharge the material trom the hopper, latch mechanism operable to release the dump for its dumping' movement, and a drive Yfor the feeder and which trips said latch mechanism to co-ordinate the operation ot the dump and feeder.

2. A dumping' mechanism in accordance with claim l, in combination With ascreening` mechanism which receives the material from the feeder and is operated by said common coordinating drive.

3. ln combination, a rotary dump, dump controlled means for the automatic delivery of cars to and discharge from said dump, a latch to control said dumping operations,

mechanism to iteed and screen the material discharged, and a common co-ordinated drive for operating said feeding and screening mechanisms and effecting the periodic release oiY said dump latch, substantially as described. A

4f. ln a dumping, mechanism, a gravity operated dump, means controlled by the dump te deliver cars to and discharge them from said dump, a compound latch mechanism to control the release oit the dump to operate, said mechanism comprising' a latch releasable responsivel to a loaded car reaching a predetermined position in the dump, and a latch intermittently released by mechanism independent ol the dump, sulistantially as described.

5. In a dumping1 mechanism, a gravity operated dump, means controlled by the dump to deliver cars to and discharge them from said dump, a compound latch mechanism to control the release of the dump to operate, said mechanism comprising a latch` releasable responsive to a loaded car reaching a predetermined position in the dump, and a latch responsive to an intermittently acting,` continuously driven trip element, substantially as described.

6. A dumping,` mechanism in accordance with claim el, in combination with a variable speed drive for said intermittent latch release mechanism.

7. The combination with a dump and automatic agencies, responsive to the car and dump movements, adapted to control the feed of cars to the dump, the spotting of cars in the dump and the operation o'l the dump, ol: a periodic actuator adapted to control the complete release of the dump to respond to its automatic control agencies.

S. A dump in accordance With claim 7, in combination with means responsive to an empty cars movement for controlling' the automatic discharge oit cars from the dump.

9. The combination with a dump and a lined approach track, et stop means in the dump and track for cars, of automatic agencies responsive to dump and car movements, adapted to control the feed of cars to and Yfrom the dump and the automat-ic operation of the dump, and a timed intermittently acting` control means adapted to intercept the automatic operation of the dump until after predetermined time intervals.

l0. In a dumping mechanism, a dump adapted to rotate, means controlled by the dumps movements to deliver cars to and' discharge them from the chimp, and a mechanism to control the release ot' the dump for automatic operation; said mechanism comprising means, responsive to the joint action of a loaded car after reaching,` a predetermined position in the dump and of an intermittently operated mechanism inde pendent of the dump, to control the dumps movements.

1l. In a dumping mechanism, a dump adapted to rotate, means responsive to the dumps movements to deliver cars to and discharge them from the dump, and mechanism to control the release of the dump lor intermittent automatic operation which is responsive to the joint control of an independent timing mechanism and olf a loaded car after it has reached a predetermined position in the dump.

l2. In a dumping mechanism, a rotary dump unbalanced to oscillate back and forth by gravity in dumping a car thereon, a plurality of latches to hold the dump in can receiving position, an approach track, car stopping dogs in the approach track and. in the dump, means automatically controlling the release and reset of said dogs by the movement ot' the dump and of the cars released by the dogs, said latches comprising one releaseable responsive to a car assuming correct position on the dump, and a second latch releasable responsive to a car assuming predetermined position on the approach track.

13. Adumping mechanism in accordance with claim 12, in which a third latch is provided which is normally disengaged and having hand means to apply it so as to hold the dump when the other latches are released.

14. A dumping mechanism comprising a rotary dump having springpressed dogs therein and a reciprorable element controlling them, an approach track having spaced pairs of spring-pressed dogs, and a reciprocable element controlling` said dogs, a track scale set in advance of the dogs adjacent to the dump, means responsive to the movement of the dump as it returns to initial position after dumping to release all the dogs, a trip releasable by a car after passing the remote track dogs to reset both track dogs, a trip mechanism operable by a car passing off the dump to reset the dump dogs, and latch mechanism responsive to cars approaching the remote track and the dump track dogs, which latch mechanism controls the release of the dump to operate.

l5. The combination with a dump and automatic agencies, responsive to car and dump movements, adapted to control the feed ot cars to the dump and the operation of the dump, of a periodic actuator Which controls the complete release of the dump to operate, and mechanism lior handling the dumped material having a drive which controls said periodic actuator.

16. The combination of an automatic gravity operated rotary dump, mechanism for treating the dumped material, drive means for said mechanism, and. means controlling the release of said dump to operato Which are jointly responsive to car position and to said drive means.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

ERSKINE RAMSAY. 

